Breakfast

Store bought almond milk is pretty darn good these days, but making your own gives you the advantage of knowing every ingredient you put in there.

Plus, you will become a blender magician, and get creative with your superfood flavours.

You’ll be wanting to pour this deliciousness into all kinds of things like coffee, matcha, cereal, Jules Fuel… that is if you can stop yourself from sipping it all out of the mason jar from when it first hits your lips…

Of course, I’ve got to mention that ditching the cow’s milk is going to bring mega benefits to your body, the animal’s lives, and the environment.

For a 5 minute explanation of the dairy industry, you can watch this video. Warning – it’s **graphic**

On the more positive side, here are the…

Benefits of ditching the dairy:

Clearer skin – by reducing the inflammatory ingredients from dairy

Less gastrointestinal issues – by decreasing any potential lactose sensitivity

Improved digestion – that diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas and nausea could very likely be from a lactose sensitivity or intolerance

Weight loss – by taking out the hormones, animal proteins, lactose, and saturated fat found in the dairy products, many people find excess weight coming off easily

Cancer prevention – there has been a strong link between dairy consumption and ovarian cancer and prostate cancer

Stronger bones – because the animal proteins in dairy are difficult for humans to digest, calcium is actually leached from the bones to help absorb with digestion. It’s better to focus on more absorbable sources

Better for the environment – the dairy industry has a big impact on air quality (greenhouse gas emissions), soil quality (land use, pesticides), and water quality (run offs of antibiotics, pesticides, pathogens, waste products and hormones)

Reduce your exposure to antibiotics and hormones – which are used regularly in the US dairy industry to reduce infection and increase production

Reduce the suffering of the cows – the less we demand dairy, the less it will be mass produced 🙂

Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk

Makes: 2-3 cups almond milk

Time: 10 minutes, plus 1 day of soaking

Equipment:

High speed blender, or food processor

Nut-milk bag

Bowl

Mason jar

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

2-3 cups water (2 will make about a 2% thickness, so if you want it more like skim milk, use more!), plus 1 cup for soaking

Soak almonds overnight or for up to two days (the longer, the creamier the almond milk). Cover the almonds with about an inch of water

Rinse almonds. They should be plump and a bit squishy. Soaking them also makes their nutrients more absorbable because it starts the growing process and gets rid of the phytic acid, turning them into sprouted nuts!

Blend almonds and rest of the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor. Start by pulsing a few times, then blend on high for 2 minutes (4-5 minutes in food processor)

Strain and press the milk through a nut-milk bag. Pour the mixture from the blender into the bag over a big bowl, and squeeze the milk through with clean hands. What you should have left is a dough-like almond pulp.

Pour the milk into a mason jar. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Left over almond pulp uses:

– Binder in veggie burgers, veggie meat loaf or veggie balls.

– Replace some of the flour in pancakes or waffles, cookies or muffins.

Easy to make and packed with whole-food ingredients. That’s what I’m all about.

The base is just 3 ingredients (bananas, oats, almond milk).

Once you have that blended up, feel free to add whatever you like.

Turmeric is a great addition for some anti-inflammatory bang, and blueberries for the antioxidant-boost.

There was a bunch of information on the benefits of adding pepper to your turmeric to sky rocket the absorption of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric), and why anti-inflammatory foods are so important in this week’s email! Sign up for my emails on the homepage, so you don’t miss the next email with juicy nutrition info!

Vanilla and cinnamon are always a must when I’m whipping up some flapjacks, so we’ll throw some of that in there too.

If you can get the actual turmeric and ginger root from your local grocery store, DO IT.

You could use the powdered, but this recipe is so much better with the real, fresh ingredients. If you have a hard time finding them, Spud carries turmeric and ginger root! Just order online from their website and it will get delivered to your door (use the code CRVAN-MURJUB for 20$ off your first order). While you’re at it, add a box of smoothie ready bananas for just 7 bucks and freeze them so they’re ready for your next smoothie session!

Then this creamy, spicy super smoothie so fast and easy to put together.

If you have a high-speed blender, this bevy is amazing blended until warm.

It’s the best thing to come back to after playing all day in the fresh powder.

By the way HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I’m going to share what I am chatting away about in this week’s email to subscribers (subscribe on the homepage).Here’s s few things I can leave you with while we’re shooting into 2017:

Try not to get overwhelmed about the things that didn’t happen in 2016, or the things you hope to achieve in 2017. This life of ours is all about the adventure. The best gift we can give to ourselves is to be grateful for each present moment and appreciate the relationships, achievements and things that we have now.

Don’t be like THIS GUY, trying to get it all over-with and done at once.

Just ENJOY the process! We’ve all got mundane things to do in this life (think chores, some work, etc), but what if we switched our mind-set into being excited to do those things, and ignore the part of our brain that dreads what’s to come?

I can’t waaaait to answer emails! I’m SO stoked to do the recycling! Cleaning the house? YES!!!

Imagine how fun life would be if we truly believed everything was amazingly fun? Something to think about…

OK, now back to winter in a cup.

The benefits of this drink are endless. But, here’s just a few to be excited about…

Benefits:

–Turmeric is one of nature’s best anti-inflammatory. Eating it with black pepper drastically improves it’s absorption into your hot bod, magnifying the benefits. It’s also great for bloating, digestion, blood purification, skin conditions, cancer-fighting, plus it aids in fat metabolism.

–Ginger is well-known for it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. This makes it a great answer for combatting seasonal flus and making your immune system super-human. Ginger is also a star when it comes to nausea and muscle pain.

–Bananas are packed full of beneficial carbohydrates, with fibre and a bit of protein! They really are an all round healthy food that if I lived on a deserted island, all I would need is bananas. There’s a reason monkeys go bananas over bananas, and it makes up most of their diet. Smart monkeys. They also decrease bloating (especially for that time of the month ladies!), build lean muscle mass, help your muscles recover faster and give you a boost of clean, whole food energy.

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Ginger Banana Mylkshake

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled

2-3 centimetres turmeric root, chopped (start with less, and add more if you can handle the spice!)

2-3 tsp ginger root, chopped

3-5 dates (depending on size, but I used 5 small bahri dates. 3 medjool would do the trick)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup almond milk (or less if you want it thicker)

little pinch of pepper

cinnamon to top

Steps:

Throw all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend for 1 minute (or until warm).

Sometimes all you need is something warm to put your hands around. And right now, that something calls for some pumpkin spice and bananas.

With just 3 ingredients and a blender, you will have a mylkshake (without the milk) that will knock your thick socks off, taste like pumpkin pie heaven, and allow your eyes to roll in all the mmmmm-ness.

Fall is definitely upon us, and this comforting bevy will be the cherry on top of your cozy sweatpants, a good vegan documentary and those over-worn slippers from your amazing grandma … or is that just me?

Dates are amazing for well….anything really. Buy them by the box, and make sure they’re as juicy and fresh as possible. These little morsels are taken everywhere. In the car, on camping trips, in my camel back, on the plane… you name it.

Packed with fibre, minerals and vitamins, dates are not to be afraid of. They’re a whole food, unrefined and easily digested for amazing, clean burning energy. The perfect snack on the go. If you love caramel apples, take a bite of an apple with your date and call it a day. Seriously. Take them everywhere with you and you will be a happy camper.

They are delicious as they are. But sometimes it’s nice to introduce them to a few other flavour buddies.

Hemp seeds add a great hit of flavour and essential fatty acids, oats create a cookie-like taste, and for the twist, quinoa puffs round out this delish ball with a surprising crunch and a complete protein (not that we have to be worried about protein, because it literally is naturally in every single whole, plant food).

All you need is a food processor and a bit of a shimmy of the wrist to create these melt in your mouth hits of nutrition.

Benefits:

~Dates are chalk full of fibre, magnesium, and selenium. Plus they are stars when it comes to smooth digestion, nutrient-density, and improving the gut flora. This is all beneficial for weight loss, satiety, and clean burning energy.

~Hemp seeds are a great balance of 3:1 omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. In the Standard American Diet, there is WAY too much omega 6 fatty acids being consumed, and not enough omega 3. SO, hemp seeds are a perfect way to ensure you’re getting enough omega 3s in your life. This will help ward off depression, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, blood fat, asthma, and ADHD. Plus it’s one of the best options for plant-based protein.

~Coconut is packed with vitamin E, polyphenols, and vitamin A, which all work together to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

Makes: 30 balls

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Medjool Dates! About 20 of them

1 cup oats

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup quinoa puffs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract or powder

1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

Process oats to a flour in food processor

Pit your dates

Add dates to flour and process for 10 seconds

Add hemp seeds, quinoa puffs and vanilla to the mix and process until a ball forms

Spread coconut on a plate

Shape date mixture into small balls with wet hands and drop them onto the plate (a few at a time). Shake the plate so the balls get coated with coconut shreds.

Once the balls are all shaped and coated, store them in the fridge so they’re ready for snacking!

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WELCOME

Hi, I'm Julia! I like to simplify plant-based eating and make yummy recipes. I'm a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, certified plant-based chef, Olympian, and I make cereal (Jules Fuel). Enjoy!
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